1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to apparatus and methods for adjusting the height of a basketball goal assembly and, more particularly, to novel quick-release, self-adjusting locking mechanisms that engage a retaining assembly anchored along a portion of the rigid support pole, wherein the locking mechanism selectively engages the retaining assembly along a portion of the retaining assembly at a plurality of defined locking positions to facilitate adjustment in the height of a basketball goal above a playing surface.
2. Technical Background
Basketball is an increasingly popular sport in the United States and abroad. There are many cities, counties, and other associations that sponsor recreational and instruction leagues where people of all ages can participate in the sport of basketball. Today there are organized leagues for children as young as five and six years old. Accordingly, it is not surprising that more and more people have a basketball goal mounted on their property.
The problem with many basketball goals is that the goal is usually fixed at a certain height above the playing surface with a standard height being about ten (10) feet. Children and younger teens, however, generally don""t have the strength or agility to make a basket at a height of ten feet. Moreover, children tend to develop improper shooting skills attempting to throw a basketball toward a goal that is too high. Oftentimes, children or younger teens get frustrated with the sport of basketball and may give up the sport altogether.
Many attempts have been made by those skilled in the art to design basketball goal systems which are adjustable to several different heights. This allows persons of all ages and sizes to enjoy the sport of basketball because the basketball goal can be adjusted to various heights above the playing surface. Some of the prior art basketball goal systems employ a deformable linkage design which generally connects the backboard to a rigid mount such as a pole. In operation, prior art deformable linkages can be selectively locked at various positions to secure the basketball goal at a predetermined height above a playing surface.
One disadvantage of prior art deformable linkage devices is that the adjustment mechanism is typically positioned within or near the linkage well above the playing surface. Accordingly, whenever a user desires to adjust the height of the basketball goal, the use of a ladder, stool, or the like is required to enable the user to reach the adjustment mechanism and xe2x80x9cunlock xe2x80x9d the basketball goal. Having to use a ladder, stool, or the like to adjust the height of the basketball goal creates an inherent danger to the user of the potential for falling.
Other prior art adjustable basketball goal systems have adjustment mechanisms that are only accessible with the use of a separate rod or pole, such as a broomstick handle. Oftentimes, there is not such an adjustment device readily available. The user must therefore accommodate the inconvenience of having to find a suitable implement, or simply choose not to adjust the height of the basketball goal.
Adjustable basketball goals of the prior art were also developed by those skilled in the art in such a manner that the entire weight of the basketball goal bears directly on the adjustment system. One disadvantage of these prior art configurations is that it takes more strength and patience to adjust the height of the basketball goal than typical children or younger teens possess. This is unfortunate because it is usually small children or younger teens who have the greatest need to adjust the height of the basketball goal.
To overcome this problem, many basketball goal assemblies were developed that provided an adjustment mechanism having a heavy counterbalancing beam to counteract the weight of the basketball goal. Such adjustment systems are generally very bulky, expensive to manufacture and transport, and are typically difficult to assemble.
Another disadvantage of many prior art adjustable basketball goal systems is that the adjustment mechanism is generally separate and distinct from the securing apparatus. In this regard, both hands of a user are normally needed to simultaneously unlock the system, adjust the basketball goal assembly to the desired height, and then lock the adjustment assembly in a predetermined position.
Yet another disadvantage of prior art basketball goal adjustment systems is that many of the securing and adjustment mechanisms require numerous working components and a complex design configuration to be able to simultaneously adjust and secure the basketball goal assembly in a predetermined position above a playing surface. Accordingly, this generally increases the cost and difficulty of manufacture and, in addition, the time necessary for assembly of the adjustable basketball system by a user.
Another problem with various prior art adjustable basketball goal assemblies is that a user must manually lock the adjustment mechanism in place after the goal has been positioned at the desired height. If a user releases the adjustment mechanism to activate the locking mechanism, the goal may, in the meantime, rise or fall from the selected height. This release of the adjustment mechanism may interfere with convenient adjustment or even cause injury to a user or innocent bystander.
Additionally, many adjustable basketball goal assemblies lack discrete settings for adjusting the height of the basketball goal above the playing surface. Many users will wish to adjust the goal to the same height consistently to measure improvements in dunking ability or standardize game play. However, many current adjustable basketball goal systems force a user to guess how high the goal is and simply make do with any inaccuracies in the adjustment of the goal.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that it would be an advancement in the art to provide an adjustable basketball goal system that can be adjusted by a user standing at ground level without requiring the use of a ladder or a pole. It would be a further advancement to provide an adjustable basketball goal system that is capable of being adjusted quickly and easily with the use of a single hand of a user. A further enhancement would be to provide an adjustable basketball goal system that is xe2x80x9cself-adjustingxe2x80x9d and/or adjustable to various discrete height settings. Finally, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an adjustable basketball goal system that is simple in design, cost effective to manufacture and transport, and easy to assemble.
Such an adjustable basketball goal system is disclosed and claimed herein.
The apparatus of the present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully resolved by currently available adjustable basketball goal systems. Thus, it is an overall objective of the present invention to provide quick-release, self-adjusting latch mechanisms for adjustable basketball goal assemblies which overcome many or all of the shortcomings in the prior art as discussed above.
To achieve the foregoing objective, and in accordance with one presently preferred embodiment of the invention as broadly described herein, a novel adjustable basketball goal assembly is provided including a rigid support pole having a first end configured to supportably engage a basketball goal above a playing surface and a second opposing end adapted to mountably engage a support base. Structurally, the support base includes a receiving aperture formed at a first end of the support base, wherein the receiving aperture is adapted to receive and maintain the opposing second end of the support pole in either a fixed or pivotal relationship. The support base further provides sufficient weight so as to support the pole and a goal support assembly in a general upright position over a playing surface. In addition, one or more brace supports may be adapted to provide a structural connection between the base and the pole so as to assist in providing structural support to retain the pole and the attached goal support assembly in a generally upright configuration for game play.
In one presently preferred embodiment, the goal support assembly may include a backboard, a rim, a net, and upper and/or lower engagement arms pivotally connected between the backboard and the first end of the support pole. As contemplated herein, a quick-release, self-adjusting latch mechanisms may be operably disposed in relation to the upper and/or lower engagement arms of the goal support assembly such that selective manipulation of the adjustable latch mechanism results in a corresponding adjustment in the height of the goal support assembly above the playing surface, wherein any adjustment in the height of the goal support assembly above the playing surface directly corresponds to a different deformation. Specifically, the configuration of the goal support assembly allows the backboard, rim, and net of the goal support assembly to be adjusted to differing selective heights while remaining horizontally disposed in relation to the playing surface.
An extension arm is preferably disposed between the goal support structure and the support pole. In one presently preferred embodiment, the extension arm is pivotally attached at a first end to an upper and/or lower engagement arm(s) of the goal support extends substantially downwardly therefrom along a back side of the support pole. A second opposing end of the extension arm is engageably disposed in relation to a track having a series of slots. Preferably, the track is rigidly attached at a point along the length of the back side of the support pole. Structurally, the second opposing end of the extension arm comprises a locking key configured to independently engage the series of slots formed in the track so as to provide a locking engagement therebetween. Preferably, the key extends from a latch affixed to the second end of the extension arm such that the key selectively engages one or more corresponding slots of the series of spaced-apart slots formed in the track rigidly attached along the back side of the support pole. The slots provide a series of discrete settings for adjusting the height of the basketball goal above the playing surface. A user can therefore determine the selected height of the basketball goal by simply checking to see which slot engageably retains the key in locking relationship.
In one presently preferred embodiment, the deformable goal support assembly has a lower engagement arm pivotally fixed at the first end of the support pole. A leveraging extension of the lower engagement arm extends rearward from the support pole to pivotally connect to the first end of the extension arm. Thus, an adjustment in the vertical displacement of the extension arm relative to the locking engagement between the key and slots formed in the track is translated through the lower engagement arm to the goal support assembly. The goal support assembly is thereby deformed, thus altering the height of the basketball goal in relation the playing surface. Similarly, one presently preferred method of adjusting the height of the basketball goal assembly may comprise the steps of (1) gripping a handle attached at the second end of the extension arm; (2) pulling on the handle in a direction away from the back side of the support pole to dislodge the engaging key from the corresponding slot(s); (3) slidably positioning the key adjacent to the desired slot; and (4) releasing the handle thereby introducing the key into the corresponding slot of the track and lock the extension arm in a position relative to the support pole and the goal support assembly.
The adjustable basketball goal assembly may be self-adjusting because once the handle is released, the key slides into the first available slot. In this regard, a biasing member (such as a spring) may be attached between the extension arm and the rigid support pole to provide a biasing force acting therebetween. As appreciated by those skilled in the art, prior art adjustable basketball goal systems typically require two separate steps to adjust the height of the goal support assembly and then lock the adjustment mechanism in place. Those steps are combined in the novel adjustment assembly of the present invention, whereas the adjustment mechanism locks itself after selective adjustment. Moreover, a user can unlock, adjust, and lock the locking mechanism by grasping the handle and applying a pulling force outwardly with one fluid motion.
A biaser may be disposed in relation to the goal support assembly to provide a force which substantially counterbalances the gravitational force acting on the goal support assembly due to the weight of the basketball goal. In one presently preferred embodiment, the counterbalance member comprises a coil spring disposed in such a manner so as to draw the upper and lower engagement arms towards the basketball backboard.
Thus it is an advantage of the present invention to provide a one-handed, easily grippable height adjustment mechanism for a basketball goal assembly that is conveniently adjustable, cost effective to manufacture, and easy to assemble. It is a further advantage of the present invention to provide a height-adjustment assembly that is self-locking after being adjusted, wherein the height of the basketball goal can be precisely adjusted to one of a series of discrete settings while requiring only a minimal force.